General Motors to integrate Apple's Siri personal assistant into new Chevrolets

General Motors is to become the first car maker to use Apple’s Siri in its vehicles.

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark and Sonic LZ and RS will all feature the hands-free, voice-operated version of the iPhone personal assistant, allowing drivers to safely keep their eyes on the road while using their iPhones to make calls, play music or text.

The auto giant made the announcement Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Auto Show.

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Voice-activated: General Motors is set to become the first car maker to use Apple's Siri

Chat: Starting early next year, the Chevrolet Spark and Sonic will feature the voice-operated version of the iPhone personal assistant, allowing drivers to safely keep their eyes on the road while using their iPhones to make calls, play music or text.

Through the cars’ standard Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, customers with a compatible iPhone running iOS 6 can direct Siri to perform a number of tasks.

To further minimize driver distraction, Siri uses a hands-free function called 'Eyes Free' mode that allows users to interact with their iPhone using nothing more than their voice.

Owners simply connect their iPhone with the MyLink radio via Bluetooth, pair with the system, and use the steering wheel voice activation button to begin and end sessions with Siri in 'Eyes Free' mode.

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In the Spark and Sonic, which retail for $12,875 and $14,645, owners can use Siri in 'Eyes Free' mode to make voice-activated, hands-free calls to iPhone contacts, play songs from the iTunes library, and even switch music sources between radio, satellite radio or iPod.

Users can also listen to, compose and send texts, access their iPhone calendar and add appointments.

To help further minimize distraction even, the new software will prevent iPhone screens of the iPhone from lighting up.

There's only one catch, while in 'Eyes Free' mode, Siri will not provide answers to complex questions that require displaying a web page.

Through the standard Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system, iPhone users will be able to do most all tasks with their smartphones

Compliments: 'Safe, easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers, and Siri complements MyLink¿s existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience,' said a Ford spokesperson

'It says a lot about our commitment to small-car customers that Chevrolet has announced that Siri 'Eyes Free' capability will be available in the Spark and Sonic well before the luxury brands,' said Cristi Landy, Chevrolet marketing director for small cars, in a statement. 'Safe, easy, reliable and portable connectivity is a top priority for our customers, and Siri complements MyLink’s existing capabilities to help deliver an incredible driving experience.'

Not to be outdone, Ford Motor announced at the autoshow that it had improved Ford MyTouch system, Ford's voice recognition feature, and made it easier to pair new smartphones in the infotainment system that will be installed in its smallest and cheapest model, the 2014 version of the Fiesta.